[Sportschosun reporter Jang Jong-ho] A large-scale study has found that children who were exclusively breastfed for more than six months are less likely to show symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The researchers said breast milk may help lower the risk of ADHD by supplying nutrients needed for brain development.
Researchers from the University of Bergen in Norway and the University of Örebro in Sweden analyzed data from the Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa), which followed 37,643 children and 18,349 parents born in Norway between 1999 and 2009. They said they found a trend in which longer periods of exclusive breastfeeding were associated with fewer ADHD symptoms in children. The findings were published in the international journal Biological Psychiatry.
The team surveyed mothers six months after childbirth about how long they exclusively breastfed, how long they combined breast milk with formula, and when they first introduced solid foods and other drinks. They then compared the children’s ADHD symptoms at ages 3, 5, and 8.
The analysis showed that the longer exclusive breastfeeding continued, the lower the ADHD symptoms were. The association was seen in both boys and girls. The effect was especially clear at ages 3 and 5.
The researchers explained, "Children who were exclusively breastfed for up to six months after birth showed fewer ADHD symptoms at ages 3, 5, and 8." They added, "We also found a tendency for the protective effect to increase as the duration and intensity of breastfeeding increased."
Although the exact mechanism has not yet been identified, the researchers suggested that certain nutrients in breast milk may have promoted infant brain development and positively affected the maturation of the nervous system.
They stressed, however, that this study was an observational one that identified an association between breastfeeding and a reduced risk of ADHD, and did not prove a direct causal relationship. The team said, "Exclusive breastfeeding may partially help prevent ADHD symptoms in childhood, but further research is needed to confirm this."
A large review published in the United States last year also reported that breastfeeding helps reduce the risk of infant death and lowers the likelihood of rapid weight gain, infections, and allergies.
Jang Jong-ho, Sportschosun reporter bellho@sportschosun.com
